Related Master's Degrees
The following is a comparison of degree programs offered at the iSchool and elsewhere at the University of Washington.
(Jump to information about the HCDE, MSIS and MSDS programs.)
| Degree earned | Master of Science in Information Management (MSIM) | Master of Library and Information Science (MLIS) | Master of Human-Computer Interaction + Design (MHCI+D) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Career impact | |||
| Common job titles | • Analyst:
| • Adult Services Librarian • Academic Librarian • Archivist • Cataloging Librarian • Children's/Youth Services Librarian • Content and Collections Strategist • Data Librarian • Digital Asset Manager • Instruction Librarian • Law Librarian • Metadata Librarian • Outreach Librarian • Reference Librarian • Taxonomist • User Experience Designer | • User Experience Designer • Product Designer • User Experience Researcher • Interaction Designer • User Experience Manager • Usability Researcher • Developer • Prototyper • Project or Program Manager |
| Focus | • Information and information technologies management and emerging trends in technology • Core areas in leadership, professionalism, ethics and policy • STEM-designated
| • Core areas of strength in digital youth, knowledge organization, information services, data science, and user experience • Choice of on-campus or online learning • Law Librarianship program for students with a JD | • Design of interactive computing technologies • Usability and user research • Prototyping interactive digital systems |
| Capstone or thesis project | Early-Career: • Capstone project • Team-based project offers the opportunity to work with outside sponsors • Student-directed • Research or design-oriented Early-Career Accelerated and Mid-Career: • Practicum experiential learning • Either Capstone project, internship, faculty-sponsored research project, or other approved experiential learning project | • Capstone project • Team-based project offers the opportunity to work with outside sponsors • Student-directed | • Team-based project offers opportunity to work with outside sponsors • Projects form the spine of studio work for first 3 quarters • Culminates in a full-time capstone studio during final summer quarter |
| Internship | • Recommended | • Directed Fieldwork recommended (can be taken for elective credit) | NA |
| Courses | MSIM | MLIS | MHCI+D |
| Curriculum | • Core courses plus specializations in:
• Culminates in Capstone project or Experiential Learning (dependent on choice of MSIM program track) * Offered to all program tracks/modes | • Core courses are foundational and theory-based • Electives focus on practice-based topics • Culminates in Capstone project | • Prescribed sequence of core courses • Electives from sponsoring departments and UW • Culminates in a Capstone project |
| Instructional style | • Lectures, seminar discussions, projects, case studies, studio and technology lab work where applicable | • Lectures and project-based courses • Individual and group projects • Community-based assignments in some courses | • Design studio, lectures, individual, and group projects • Tightly integrated, project-based curriculum • Sequenced schedule |
| Course scheduling | • Early-Career Residential: core, weekdays; electives offered weekdays, evenings, Saturday mornings • Mid-Career Residential: core, evenings; electives offered evenings and Saturday mornings • Online (all tracks): Asynchronous classes with weekly synchronous discussions evenings and weekends | • Primarily daytime and online | • Primarily daytime |
| UW affiliation | MSIM | MLIS | MHCI+D |
| College / school / department / division | • Information School (iSchool) | • Information School (iSchool) | • Graduate School interdisciplinary program • Jointly sponsored by the Information School, Computer Science and Engineering and HCDE (College of Engineering), and Art, Art History + Design (College of Arts & Sciences) |
| Faculty | • Dedicated iSchool faculty plus external industry lecturers | • Dedicated iSchool faculty plus external industry lecturers | • Interdisciplinary faculty from CSE, HCDE, iSchool, Division of Design, plus external industry lecturers |
| Facilities | • iSchool classrooms • Shared computing labs • Group workspaces | • iSchool classrooms • Shared computing labs • Group workspaces | • Dedicated design studio for the cohort |
| Contacts | • Hala Annabi, MSIM Program Chair • Rebecca Alhadeff, MSIM Program Manager • Cameron Cramer, MSIM Academic Advisor • iask@uw.edu • Residential mode website • Online mode website | • Michelle Martin, MLIS Program Chair • Lauren Van Fossen, MLIS Academic Advisor • iask@uw.edu • Program website | • Matt Bartels, Assistant Director for Student Services, mhcid@uw.edu • Program website |
| Time and money | MSIM | MLIS | MHCI+D |
| Duration | • Early-Career: 2 years • Early-Career Accelerated: 1 year or more • Mid-Career: 1-2 years | • Residential: 2 years • Online: 2.5-3 years • Law: 1 year | • 1 year (4 quarters), full-time, immersive experience • Students are members of a cohort of peers |
| Option for full-time work while in school | • Early-Career residential: No • Early-Career online: Yes, if going at a slower pace • Mid-Career: Yes | • Residential: No • Online: Yes • Law: No | • No |
| Application deadline | • Residential modes: Incremental deadlines. All offers of admission are for Autumn quarter only. • Online modes: Rolling deadlines. Students can begin the program in any quarter. | • Round 1: December 1 All offers of admission are for Autumn quarter only. | • January 15 All offers of admission are for Autumn quarter only. |
| Number of students enrolled annually | • Early-Career Residential: 75-80 • Early-Career Accelerated Residential: 35 • Mid-Career Residential: 35 • Online: 150 | • Residential and Law: 70-75 • Online: 75-80 | • 30-40 |
| Required number of credits | • Early-Career: 65 • Early-Career Accelerated: 40 • Mid-Career: 36 | • Residential: 63 • Online: 63 • Law Librarianship: 43 | • 46 |
| Approximate total tuition (subject to change and total credits taken) | • Early-Career: $62,985 • Early-Career Accelerated: $38,760 • Mid-Career: $34,884 • $969/credit (all tracks) | • Residential: $53,676 • Online: $53,676 • Law Librarianship: $36,636 • $852/credit (all tracks) | • $51, 014 • $1,109/credit |
| Financial aid, Funding and Assistantships | • All applicants are considered for a limited number of iSchool merit-based scholarships. • U.S. citizens and permanent residents are encouraged to fill out the FAFSA in order to receive federal loans. • The iSchool typically hires 2-3 graduate assistants (GAs) each year. • Occasionally tuition may be reduced through fellowships and teaching/research assistantships, which are offered by individual departments based on merit. | • All applicants are considered for a limited number of iSchool merit-based scholarships. • U.S. citizens and permanent residents are encouraged to fill out the FAFSA in order to receive federal loans. • The iSchool typically hires 2-3 graduate assistants (GAs) each year. • Occasionally tuition may be reduced through fellowships and teaching/research assistantships, which are offered by individual departments based on merit. | • Occasionally tuition may be reduced through fellowships and teaching/research assistantships, which are offered by individual departments based on merit. |
| Degree earned | Master of Science in Human Centered Design & Engineering (HCDE) | Master of Science in Information Systems (MSIS) | Master of Science in Data Science (MSDS) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Career impact | |||
| Common job titles | • User Experience Designer
| • Product Manager • Technical Program Manager • IT Director • Business Analyst • Information Security Professional • Cyber Security Analyst/Consultant • Data Analyst/Engineer/Scientist • Design and Integration Specialist • Artificial Intelligence Consultant • Systems Analyst • Business Intelligence Engineer • Software Engineer/Developer • Operations Data Technician | • Business Analyst • Data Analyst • Data Architect • Data Engineer • Data Scientist • Machine Learning Engineer • Marketing Analyst • Quantitative Analyst • Researcher • Systems Engineer • Statistician |
| Focus | • User-centered research and design • Use of communication, design, and visualization methods • Design and prototyping of interactive products, services, platforms, and systems • Applies to all domains, including technology and engineering | • Management of information technologies to solve complex business problems and take advantage of new business opportunities. Students are equipped with broad technical skills to be at the forefront of technological innovation, and approach technology as a disruptive force to manage the complexities of digital transformation. | • Interdisciplinary approach to manipulating large data sets, analyzing data, and communicating the results to a variety of stakeholders. |
| Capstone or thesis project | • Capstone project • Team-based project offers the opportunity to work with outside sponsors • Student-driven format and topic • 2 quarter capstone project for a total of 8 credits | NA | • Two-course capstone project • Team-based project offers students the opportunity to work on a data science challenge facing a sponsoring organization |
| Internship | • Elective | NA | • Optional • Most full-time students complete a summer internship |
| Courses | HCDE | MSIS | MSDS |
| Curriculum | • Individualized program
• Culminates in a Capstone project | • Lockstep curriculum
| • Core courses, partially sequenced • Culminates in a capstone project |
| Instructional style | • Project-based, lecture, and studio courses • Core courses in a sequenced format • Flexible elective schedule | • Lecture, case study, and project based classes | • World-class interdisciplinary expertise from 6 UW departments • Team-based and individual projects and assignments building on technically rigorous material |
| Course scheduling | • Primarily evening • Each course meets one night/week • Full-time or part-time students studying in the evening | • Monday and Wednesday evening and Saturday daytime | • Evenings |
| UW affiliation | HCDE | MSIS | MSDS |
| College / school / department / division | • College of Engineering • Department of Human-Centered Design and Engineering (HCDE) • Students earn Engineering/STEM degree with OPT extension | • Foster School of Business | • Graduate School interdisciplinary program • Departments of Applied Mathematics, Biostatistics, Computer Science & Engineering, Human Centered Design & Engineering, Statistics, and the Information School, in partnership with the eScience Institute |
| Faculty | • Interdisciplinary tenure track HCDE faculty plus outside industry lecturers | • Dedicated Business School faculty plus external industry lecturers | • Interdisciplinary tenure track faculty and professional industry leaders |
| Facilities | • Design Lab with shared access for all HCDE students • UW campus classrooms | • Foster Business Library • Group workspaces | • UW campus classrooms |
| Contacts | • Kathleen Rascon, Director of Academic Services • askhcde@uw.edu • Program website | • Allison Shults, Assistant Director, Admissions and Alumni Relations • msis@uw.edu • Program website | • Christine Fleming, Admissions and Recruitment Specialist • uwmsds@uw.edu • Program website |
| Time and money | HCDE | MSIS | MSDS |
| Duration | • Self-paced, 2-3 academic years • Full-time and part-time students; many are working professionals | • 12 months | • Full-time: 1.5 years • Part-time: 2.5 years |
| Option for full-time work while in school | • Yes | • Yes | • Yes |
| Application deadline | • January 14, 2022 | • February 1 | • January 10, 2022 (international)
|
| Number of students enrolled annually | • 120 | • Up to 90 | • 60-65 |
| Required number of credits | • 50 | • 44 | • 45 |
| Approximate total tuition (subject to change and total credits taken) | • $44,000 • $880/credit | • Domestic Quarterly Tuition: $9,970 • International Quarterly Tuition: $11,466* *Pending approval from UW Office of Planning & Budgeting | • $48,375 https://www.washington.edu/datasciencemasters/tuitionfinancialaid/ |
| Financial aid, Funding and Assistantships | • Occasionally tuition may be reduced through teaching/research assistantships, which are offered by individual departments based on merit. | • Occasionally tuition may be reduced through fellowships and teaching/research assistantships, which are offered by individual departments based on merit. TA/RA not currently available in MSIS department. • Limited MSIS scholarships are available and are largely based on need and merit. | • Partial scholarships are awarded on a competitive basis. • UW Graduate Funding Information Service can help find funding. |